“As Jesus said ‘I am he,’ they all drew back and fell to the ground!”
John 18:6 (NLT)
Jesus did not hide when His enemies came. He went to the garden He often visited, knowing Judas would find Him there. A large group arrived with weapons and lights, confident in their strength. Jesus stepped forward and asked who they were looking for. When they answered, “Jesus the Nazarene,” He simply said, “I am he.”
That statement was more than identification. “I AM” is the name of God. When Jesus spoke it, the power of heaven met the force of earth. No command. No long prayer. Just His name—and they fell to the ground. This moment makes something unmistakably clear: Jesus was not overpowered. He willingly gave Himself. No one could seize Him unless He permitted it.
This scene helps us understand what Paul later writes in Philippians 2, verses 5 through 11. Jesus humbled Himself and chose obedience, even to death on a cross. Because of that obedience, God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name. In the garden, we see that truth revealed. At the name of Jesus, strength collapses and authority bows.
Jesus displayed His authority not to avoid suffering, but to protect His disciples. After they fell back, He asked that His followers be allowed to go free—and they were. Even in surrender, Jesus was fully in control.
The name of Jesus still carries that authority today. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The question is whether we believe in the power of His name now. Use His name today. Trust its power.